Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-17
FROM BOARDING HOUSE TO
COURT.
Mrs. Mackay as She Was known by
au Old Miner.
From. the Missouri Republican.


From, the Missouri Republican.
"Ihis is indeedia peculiar d,"said
mining expert at the Planters House
yesterday. "Here1 pick up the papers
and read OF Mrs. Mackay's doings In Paris
how she receives the scions OF royalty,
how she eutertains, how she appears at
the opera, how she dresses, and how she
does a thousand other things; and then |
can scarcely conceive that eighteen years
ago she Kept a boarding house in Virginia
CITY, anu that | was one OF her bOarders.
let it is true, and often ponder over it.
she was a young widow then, with an
interesting child, who has since matured
into young lady and was recently mar
ried to an Italian prince of some kind.
That little girl has often sat on my knee
with little tin can in her hand which
contained the contributions of her ad-
mrers. In those days we lived prnci-
pally on canned food, and Mrs. Mackay's
BACK yard was paved with tin cans. The
child mad selected very pretty can which
one OF the b0arders transformed into
little bank. This was partly filled with
coin, the result of tribute which she
levied on her friends. She would climb
on the boarders' knees, and, shaking her
little bank. would say;
sis you lucky today"
Tnts query had the desired effect, and
the bank receipts were increased. Even
in her days OF distress Mrs. Mackay was
a good woman. She personally supern-
tended affairs and made her boarders as
comfortable as possible. | was then a
superintendent under Fair, and Mackay
was already millionaire. Mining stock
was the rage then, and L remembsr Of
ten how she would come to me and ask
our advice about certain stocks, and l am
happy to say that the advice l gave her
was good, and if | had taken it myself 1
would now be $5,000,00U or $6000,0 900 beJ-
ter off than | am.
"Then Mackay took shine to the
widow, and being reputed one of the
wealthiest men in the camp, he found
smooth sailing. He couldn't win on his
shape nor his beauty, for Everybody that
has seen Mackay knows that he wouldn't
take a prize in congress of beauty.
They were married, and the little girl no
longer sat OH miners knees, and man.
mas delicate hand no longer placed
corned beef and cabbage on miners
plates. They rose faster then Sheridan
stock did last summer, the only differ
ence being that their rise was backed
by hard coin. The great Comstock lode
continued to pour forth its richness, and
Mackay and his partner became immense
ly wealthy. Although reared in poor
circumstances, Mrs. Mackay showed her
good sense by securing private tutor.
by whom she was drilled and educated for
five years. The little daughter was put
through the same course and fitted to
shine in the most cultured society OF the
old world. Then came the conquests in
New York, san francisco, and finally
the trips to Europe A year ago l was
10 Paris and one evening attended a
performance at the Grand Opera House.
1t was first night, and prominent in
private box were two ladies, Dedecked
with diamonds and festooned with flow
ers. They were the cynosure of all eyes,
and, ieveling my glasses, L discovered
behind The silks, flowers and diamonds
the face of my former landlady in Vir-
ginia City. The outlines were the same,
but time had wrought its changes. The
young lady with her was the little girl
VINO used TO play on my knee. She had
grown out ofmy recollection. AS l stood
looking at them midst the flashing lights,
the incense of flowers, and the delicious
music, could not help recalling some
thing of:
"Some one who breasted high water,
Swan the North Fork, and all that,
just to dance with old FOllansbees daughter,
The lily of Poverty Flat